October 2008

October 30, 2008

The 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship is like a season within a season. Unfortunately it comes after a 26-race schedule over a sometimes grueling 29 weeks. Only the driver, crew chief and team with the best preparation, stamina and luck can survive the Chase and be crowned Cup champion.

This season, eight drivers who have never won a Cup title are challenging four former or current champions. Only one of those champs, Tony Stewart , has won a title under the Chase format (2005) and before it (2002).

So who has the edge in the Chase? A past champion like Jeff Gordon, who has won four Cup titles, or two-time defending champ Jimmie Johnson? How about those who have never hoisted a Cup trophy, a veteran like Jeff Burton or young gun like Clint Bowyer? We take a look at www.star-telegram.com/sports. And while you're there vote for who you think has the edge.

October 29, 2008

3 Consecutive years the winner of the Atlanta Chase race has won the next week at Texas Motor Speedway. Carl Edwards, who won last week at Atlanta, won both races in 2005. Tony Stewart won both in 2006, and Jimmie Johnson did it last year as part of a four-race winning streak. Texas was not a Chase track in 2004, the first year the Chase format was used to determine the champion.